


In The Neighbourhood

by megloveslokitooomuch



Series: Strangefrost Oneshots [9]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, M/M, Post-Endgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:33:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25030066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megloveslokitooomuch/pseuds/megloveslokitooomuch
Summary: Loki and Stephen haven't seen each other in ages.But Loki was in the neighbourhood so he decided to pop in and say hello.Exchange a few heartfelt words and whatnot.
Relationships: Loki/Stephen Strange
Series: Strangefrost Oneshots [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1784323
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	In The Neighbourhood

**Loki's POV**

It had been four years since I last saw Stephen Strange. 

Four years.

I'd tried to move on. Really, I had. But you never move on from the love of your life. Not quite.

I was pacing my room in New Asgard, another place I hadn't been in a while. Thor had been elated to see me after my years abroad, and I'll admit that I had missed him very much. However, there was something else I had never stopped craving and longing for. It itched in my bones and tore my lips raw; stabbing at my heart as it knocked the wind straight out of me.

I missed Stephen more than I'd missed anything in my entire life. 

I gnawed on my thumb nail, my blood pulsating sickeningly through my veins. It was a horrendous idea; going to see Stephen. I ran my hand through the hair mussed on my head. It had grown long and messy in the absence of him. In the absence of someone who actually made me care what the hell I looked like. I shuffled to in front of my mirror and gave it a quick brush.

"Dear God, Loki," I groaned, dragging my hands over my face. 

_I'm just gonna go,_ I thought, determined. _I'm just gonna go. The worst he can say is that he hates me and never wants to see me ever again, right?_

I arrived at the bottom of Bleecker Street. To give myself a little more time, I hadn't appeared right on the doorstep of the Sanctum. I bit my lip as I watched the door. It was still and the street was quiet. The sky was a beautiful hue of blue and pink for the Sunday sunrise. I fiddled with the long sleeves of my jet black robes. The neat Italian fabric clung tightly to my arms and flared a little at the wrists. The seam ran up my arm to the high collar against my neck and down the tailcoat that hung low at my ankles. 

I was finding it hard to breathe. The air was crisp and fresh but the stagnant odour of the place I'd so hurriedly abandoned was choking me, gaining its revenge. Trees creaked in the breeze that was strong enough only to blow a few wavy hairs into my eyes, barring my vision with trickles of black. I swallowed thickly.

My boots clopped on the pavement and it sounded as though every one echoed through the avenue like a hollow melody of death. My heart was screeching at me in harbored beats, begging me not to do this. Pleading with me not to break it all over again. 

The anticipation and terror churning inside of me was a welcome change from the consistent pain I'd felt for the past years. I could feel the presence of the piece waiting to complete the puzzle that was me and my body ached for it to fill the cavity I had torn it from.

The Sanctum Sanctorum towered in front of me, horrifically taunting me to enter. And before I could change my mind, my fist rapped on the door. My vision began to sway, nausea slamming into my stomach as the nerves moved from my head downwards. I placed a hand against my abdomen. 

The doorknob squeaked and turned, and I sucked in a sharp inhale. I stared in awe at the man whom had dared open the door to the last person he would want to see.

I caught only a couple second glimpse at Stephen before the door shut abruptly in my face, with my lips slightly parted to speak. I frowned. I heard something thud inside, as though someone had fallen to the ground. It was followed by the muffled smash of broken glass.

After a few moments, it opened again. The door revealed him in his full might, and Stephen's face gave away nothing. It was a quality I had lost; being able to mask my emotions. I knew every single thing I was feeling at this moment was displayed in my glazed eyes, furrowed brows, and turned down lips. 

"Loki," Stephen said readily, clearing his throat. His cloak bristled on his shoulders.

"Hello, Stephen," I greeted quietly, knotting my fingers together. "Can I come in?"

"I don't know," he growled. "Can you?"

I looked down at the ground to hide my grin. Oh, how I'd missed that sarcastic tongue. 

"May I speak with you?"

"Is that not what is occupying your person at this very minute regardless of the consent I may give for you to do so?"

"Stephen, I came back."

"You left, Loki."

"I had to."

Stephen laughed darkly. "No, you didn't. You had a choice. You just decided to withdraw any of my involvement."

"You were the very reason I left!"

"Oh, really? I'd love to hear your elaboration on that. I never actually got a reason for your departure, did I?"

"Would you really have come with me while I was on the run from the very people you're loyal to?"

"Of course I would have! I was loyal to nobody but you, Loki. The Avengers were people I was trying to help to save the freaking world. Loyalty was not even an option. I would save you above every single being in this entire universe."

I blinked and glanced around looking at anything to try and quell the tears threatening me. "You still would?"

"Of course, I still would," Stephen whispered, throwing his hands in the air and walking further inside leaving the door open for me. 

My hopeful heart, having now forgiven me for coming here, was throbbing in my chest. My hand involuntarily reached out and grasped Stephen's forearm as he stood with his back to me. He flinched slightly and my eyes were drawn to the shaking of his hands. They were worse than ever before.

"Stephen, I came back for you. The Avengers are willing to drop my charges if I swear upon my true life to keep peace on Earth. I came back because I have no other reason not to."

"Why..." He sniffed, looking at me from the corner of his eye. "They never told me they were hunting you. Why were they?"

"Oh, Stephen, of course they wouldn't tell you. Not with our history."

"They watched me suffer for years and they never told me anything. Why were they hunting you?"

My heart twisted. I'd never wanted to hurt Stephen, and hearing him speak of the pain he'd gone through was enough for me to break down there and then.

"I betrayed Thor, over and over. I tried to take over earth. They blame me for the destruction of Asgard. They didn't want me on Earth but I didn't want to leave. Once Thanos was gone, I thought I would be free... free to finally live my life and be my own person. Free to love you as much as I pleased."

Stephen turned to face me. His fingers, quaking, threaded with mine. 

"But it turns out that The Avengers are the protagonists of a story that cannot exist without an antagonist. They made me the villain until they saw a reason to call me anything other than that."

"But you aren't -"

"I know, my love," I said softly, taking both of his hands and covering them with mine. 

"So you can stay?"

"I have a meeting - an interrogation, really - with Stark and Rogers in the morning, and then hopefully, I can stay."

Stephen dropped his head onto my shoulder and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close into him with a warmth that I hadn't felt for too long. My hands jumped to the back of his head out of habit and stroked the short hairs there. I squeezed my eyes shut as my lip wobbled and a stray tear tumbled down my cheek.

I could feel the gentle shudders of Stephen's sobs against my body and I hugged him tighter.

"I missed you more than words could ever tell you," I murmured at his ear. "I never want to feel like that again, Stephen."

He pulled away to look up at me. His eyes were bloodshot and his cheeks wet. I wiped them with a swipe of my fingers. 

"I love you," he told me, smiling partially due to his sodden state.

I brought his lips to mine and breathed in the smell of him that hadn't changed one bit. His soft, warm mouth felt like gold and tasted like coffee, and I never wanted to let him go. His hands slid under the tailcoat of my apparel and drew trembling circles on my cold stomach. I wrapped an arm around his neck and held the crook of my elbow to his nape. 

I gasped into Stephen's mouth when something hit my behind cheekily, and our teeth knocked together.

"What -"

"Cloak," Stephen muttered, capturing my lips again with a chuckle.

I smiled into our kiss and hummed in pleasure.

"I love you too, Stephen."


End file.
